Xinhua, China
Jan 7 2012

Armenians attend Holy Mass to celebrate Christmas

English.news.cn 2012-01-07 10:36:50

YEREVAN, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) — Hundreds of Armenians attended the Holy
Mass performed by the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church Garegin II
in Echmiadzin, which is the seat of the Catholicos of All Armenians,
to celebrate Christmas Friday.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan,
Attorney General Aghvan Housepyan and some other high-ranking
officials attended the spiritual ceremony. Representatives of foreign
embassies in Armenia were also invited to the event.

The Kingdom of Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity
as its state religion in 301 AD and has been celebrating Christmas
annually on Jan. 6 since then.

After the two-hour Holy Mass in the Holy Mother of God Cathedral in
Echmiadzin, 35 km to the west of the capital Yerevan, crowds of
Christian believers surrounded the Catholicos of All Armenians, to be
touched by the hand of the Supreme Patriarch.

The Catholicos of All Armenians, which is also called the Armenians
Apostolic Church, is one of the most ancient Christian communities.

Leading a religious life was not welcomed by the Armenian government
during 70 years of its existence within the former Soviet Union.
However, after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, principal
holidays of the Christian year and other religious celebrations have
once again become popular.

Editor: Mo Hong’e

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress